NBA
First his ACL, and now this: Bryant hyperextends knee
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is expected to miss about six weeks with an injured left knee.
The Lakers said Thursday that magnetic resonance imaging showed Bryant has a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau of his knee. The team said Bryant hyperextended the knee in Tuesday night’s game at Memphis.
The injury is the latest setback for the Lakers star, who had only returned to the court Dec. 8 after nearly eight months away because of a torn Achilles tendon.
Los Angeles had signed the fourth-leading scoring in NBA history to a two-year contract extension last month. Bryant’s new deal reportedly is worth $48.5 million and takes him into his 20th season with the Lakers.
Soccer
For the 6th consecutive year, Spain is FIFA’s No. 1 team
ZURICH – Spain is at the top of the year-end FIFA rankings for the sixth consecutive year.
The reigning world and European champions were No. 1 for the 28th consecutive month in the December rankings released Thursday. Germany was second in an unchanged top 10, followed by Argentina, Colombia, Portugal, Uruguay, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Brazil.
The United States, the top-ranked team from North and Central America and the Caribbean, remained 14th for the second consecutive month.
Dempsey, Donovan highlight the Americans’ Best XI
CHICAGO – Current national team stars Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan were voted to the U.S. Soccer Federation’s All-Time Men’s National Team Best XI as part of the governing body’s 100th anniversary celebration.
Donovan was selected on 52 of 57 ballots in voting announced Friday, the highest total of any player.
Brad Friedel (25 votes) was picked for goalkeeper ahead of Kasey Keller (14), Tim Howard (13) and Tony Meola (4).
Marcelo Balboa, Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo and Eddie Pope were voted at defender, and Dempsey and Donovan were joined in the midfield by Tab Ramos and Claudio Reyna.
Brian McBride and Eric Wynalda were selected at forward.
Voters include media, administrators and former players.
Fawcett, Hamm unanimous on the women’s Best XI
CHICAGO – Defender Joy Fawcett and forward Mia Hamm were unanimous selections for the U.S. Soccer Federation’s All-Time Women’s National Team Best XI, voted on as part of the governing body’s 100th anniversary celebration.
Midfielders Michelle Akers and Kristine Lilly were one vote shy of unanimous in balloting announced Thursday.
Forwards Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach and defender Christie Rampone were the only active players picked. Morgan, at 24, was the youngest.
The rest of the team included goalkeeper Briana Scurry; defenders Brandi Chastain and Carla Overbeck; and midfielder Julie Foudy.
World Cup Ski Racing
Svindal wins the super-G; Miller eighth, and Ligety out
VAL GARDENA, Italy – Aksel Lund Svindal increased his overall World Cup lead by winning the Val Gardena super-G for the third time Friday, while Ted Ligety skied off the course, and Bode Miller finished eighth after colliding with the last gate.
Svindal clocked 1 minute, 35.82 seconds in a flawless run on the Saslong course to match his win here last year and in 2009. Jan Hudec of Canada finished second, 0.58 seconds behind, and Adrian Theaux of France was third.
Who needs practice for the Val d’Isère downhill?
VAL D’ISÈRE, France – The third World Cup downhill training session at Val d’Isère was canceled Friday because of poor weather conditions.
The race is scheduled for Saturday, with a giant slalom Sunday.
Associated Press
